Shafaq News/ On Monday, Mustafa Abdul Rahman, the President of the Kurdistan Exporters and Importers Union, announced that high-level meetings were held with a commercial delegation from Hamadan province, Iran, to strengthen economic cooperation.
During a press conference, Abdul Rahman stated that "the delegation included a group of traders and investors, some of whom have previous economic ties with the Region, while others seek to expand the scope of trade cooperation."
He added, "One of our main objectives is to encourage investors to bring their production facilities to Kurdistan, transforming the Region from a consumer to a productive and exporting area."
Abdul Rahman also announced the renewal of a previously signed trade cooperation agreement with the Hamadan Chamber of Cooperation, noting that "some local factories in Kurdistan have achieved positive results, such as cement and steel production plants, which have exceeded local demand and begun exporting to other Iraqi provinces."
He explained that "the production of cement and steel in al-Sulaymaniyah fully meets local needs, while the production of dairy products covers 50% of local demand."
Abdul Rahman addressed the challenges facing Kurdish products in being exported to Iraqi provinces, particularly the procedures followed at checkpoints and province entrances. However, he affirmed ongoing efforts to overcome these obstacles.
In conclusion, he emphasized the importance of the current phase in increasing the number of local factories, highlighting that cooperation with the Hamadan delegation represents a significant step in supporting these efforts and boosting local production.
This announcement comes as part of the Kurdistan Region's efforts to achieve an industrial renaissance and reduce reliance on imports, amid growing interest in attracting investments and developing production sectors. Trade agreements with foreign delegations, such as the one with the Hamadan province delegation, represent a crucial step toward achieving this goal, especially given the challenges facing local industries in terms of marketing and export.